The Kanwad pilgrimage kick-started on the first Monday of Shrawan month with devotees in their millions having thronged the holy city Haridwar to collect holy ‘Ganga Jal’. Billed as the biggest pilgrimage in North India, district administration and police have made ample arrangements to ensure a smooth conduct of the fair. Heavy police force being deployed in the city, Haridwar administration has taken it as a challenge with the number of the pilgrims seeing a surge every passing year.
Around four crore pilgrims are expected to reach Haridwar during the Kanwad Yatra with the Dak Kanwad starting on July 18. Speaking about the arrangements, the Haridwar senior superintendent of police Krishna Kumar V K said, “We are trying to keep Haridwar-Delhi highway open as long as possible. However, the route might be diverted in the final days. Police force has been deployed at all the sensitive areas in the district. Five companies of para military forces have been deployed too. Extra force would be enforced for the mixed population areas if the situations warrant.”
Till 2 pm on Monday, 7.5 lakh pilgrims had reached the holy city and taken holy water back to their places.
“We are expecting that the number would reach ten lakh at the end of the day, the first day of the Kanwad mela,” added SSP.
Notably, 2500 constables, nine ASPs, 22 SPs and 15 companies of PAC aside from five companies of para military force have been deputed at various points along the pilgrimage routes.